PM² (pronounced “P-M squared”) is a project management methodology developed and endorsed by the European Commission (EC). It is the official project management methodology of the EC, incorporating elements from a range of widely accepted best practices in project management, and builds heavily on PMBOK, PRINCE2, IPMA-ICB, CMMI, TEMPO, and operational experience from EU institutions. In essence, the PM² methodology provides:
- Project governance structure
- Process guidelines
- Artefact templates
- Guidelines for using the artefacts
- Set of effective mindsets.
In 2016, the European Commission issued an open guide to the PM² methodology, freely available through the EU Bookshop/Publications. However, as of July 2017, the certification program is still available only to the EU institutions' staff.
A synopsis of PM² was published in 2018 by the European Commission (PM² Overview) and was translated in numerous languages to support the roll out of the methodology to the European (primarily) countries.
History
The PM² methodology was developed in 2007, and the first version was released via the PM² Wiki in 2008. Some milestones in the development of methodology include:
- 2007: Introduction of roles and responsibilities for IT projects.
- 2008: Introduction of PM²
- 2009: Pilot implementation of PM²
- 2009: Project management courses for PM²
- 2011: Endorsement by CTI.
- 2012: Release of the PM² Training Programme for IT Projects
- 2012: Release of the PM² Guide, 1st Edition (PDF)
- 2012: Training Courses for Business Managers
- 2013: Release of the PM² Methodology 2.0 and the PM² Guide, 2st Edition (PDF)
- 2013: Introduction of PM² Certification Level-2
- 2014: Release of Agile@EC
- 2016: Release of Agile@EC Guide, 1st Edition
- 2015: Release of the PM² Methodology Guide ver. 2.5
- 2016: Release of the PM² Guide, Open Edition
- 2018: First Open PM² Conference
- 2018: Release of the PM² Guide ver. 3.0
- 2021: Release of the PM² Guide ver. 3.0.1
